Postage meter



Jan. 31, 1967 P. M. LOWELL 3,301,176

POSTAGE METER Filed Oct. 4, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 P. M. LOWELL Jan. 31, 1967 POSTAGE METER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 4, 1965 Jan. 31, 1967 P. M. LOWELL 3,301,176

- POSTAGE METER Filed Oct. 4, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,301,176 POSTAGE METER Peter M. Lowell, Pleasanton, Calif., assignor to Friden, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 492,795 4 Claims. (Cl. 101-85) This invention relates to postage meters and more particularly to an adjustment of the dater dies between print and nonprint position.

Postal regulations require different printings on various classes of mail matter. For some classes of mail the date must be printed thereon while with other classes the date is not required. Thus, an adjustment of the dater dies to print or non-print position is necessary in accordance with these requirements. One example of such an adjustable device is disclosed in the patent to Ingemar H. Lundquist, No. 3,107,854, issued October 22, 1963.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a postage meter with an improved means for controlling the adjustment of the dater dies to the print or nonprint position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for the selective setting of the dater dies and control means for the adjustment of the dater dies to print or nonprint position within the printing member of a postage meter.

A further object of the present invention is to provide the rotary indicia print-head of a postage meter with a manual control means for positively moving the dater dies within the head to either the print or nonprint position.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a left-hand elevational view of the postage meter with a portion of the cover broken away to show the date setting mechanism in the full-cycle position of the indicia print-head;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the date type wheels;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the print-head transversely of its axis, the view being taken on the plane indicated by i line 3-3 inFIG. 2;

' FIG. 4 is a plan view of the dater selection mechanism, the view being taken on the plane indicated by line 44 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an isometric projection showing the print and nonprint adjusting mechanism.

The present invention is shown as embodied in a postage meter comprising a rotating print-head 10 (FIG. 1) housed within a casing 12, the corner portion 14 of which is removable for access to the date setting mechanism, generally indicated at 15. The print-head 10 (FIG. 3) carries the usual printing dies, such as indicia die 16, town circledie 17 and the slogan die 18. A suitable aperture is provided in the indicia die 16 to accommodate the numeral type wheels 19 for the printing of a selected postage value. An aperture is also provided in the town circle die within which the dater type wheels 20 are disposed for selective setting by the dater setting mechanism 15.

The print-head 10 is of conventional construction comprising circular end frames 24 and 25 of similar diameter maintained in parallel spaced-apart relationship by the substantially U-shaped frame 26-. The legs :27 and 28 of the U-shaped frame 26 are disposed in planes parallel, one with the other, and are equidistantly spaced from the axes of the print-head supporting shafts 29 and 30, which are coaxial and are secured, respectively, to end frames 24 and 25 concentric therewith. Each end of shaft 31, upon which the numeral type wheels 19 are rotatably mounted,

3,341,176 Patented Jan. 31, 1967 is supported, respectively, in the legs 27 and 28 of the U-shaped frame 26.

Each of the die plates, i.e., the indicia die 16, town circle die 17 and slogan die 18, is secured on plate 32, curved to conform with the outer arcuate surface of the web portion 33 of the U-shaped frame 26, plate 32 being secured on the web portion 33 between circular end frames 24 and 25 of the print-head 10.

Each time a postmark impression is to be taken, the print-head 10 is rotated through one revolution, coming to rest in the full-cycle position shown in FIG. 1. Such an impression may include the printing of the indicia, the

postage value, the town circle, with or without date, and I the slogan. The print-head 10' is similar to that shown and described in the copending application of John F. Reus et 211., Serial Number 486,437, filed September 10, 1965, and includes the dater type wheels 20 which consist of the month type wheels 37, the tens day type wheel 38, the units day type wheel 39 and the year type wheel 40. The type wheels 37 to 40 are progressively larger in diameter, with the type faces of each wheel arcuately formed to conform to the printing curvature of the town circle die 17. The months of the year are embossed on the peripheral surface to the month type wheel 37, the numerals 1 to 3 are embossed on the tends day type wheel 38, while the numerals 1 to 9 and "0 are embossed on the units day type wheel 39, and the last two numerals of each of fourteen consecutive years are embossed on the peripheral surface of the year type wheel 40.

Inasmuch as the year type wheel 40 is to be adjusted but once a year, such adjustment is made by personnel authorized to service the meter. However, an operator may, upon removal of the corner panel 14- of the meter cover 12 (FIG. 1), control the day-to-day and month-tomonth setting of the type wheels 37, 38 and 39 by the selective adjustment of the dater selection mechanism 15 (FIG; 4) in the full-cycle position of the print-head 10.

For this purpose, the dater selection mechanism .15 comprises a month selector disk 41, a tens day selector disk 42 and a units day selector disk 43 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Each of the selector disks 41, 42 and 43 is provided with internal gearing 'of similar pitch diameter, such as that indicated at 44 in FIG. 4. The internal diameter of the selector disks is slightly greater than the diameter of the crescent-shaped pivot block 45, about which the disks may be rotate-d. The pivot block 45 is secured on the auxiliary disk supporting plate 46 by any suitable means, such as riveting as indicated at 4 7, the plate 46 being secured in position between print-head end frames 24 and 25 in spaced parallel relationship to the leg 27 of U-shaped bracket 26. Each of the disks 41, 42 and 43 is provided with a similar series of equiangularly spaced notches 48, 49 and 54), respectively, in the periphery thereof to enable the selective adjustment of the disks by means of a stylus in the full-cycle position of the print-head 10.

The type wheels 37, 38 and 39 may 'be individually adjusted by the selective adjustment of the corresponding selector disks 41, 42 and 43. To this end, each of the type wheels 37, 33, 39 and 40 is provided with internal gear teeth, similar to the gear teeth 54 of the type wheel 37 (FIG. 2), the internal gearing for the four type wheels having the same pitch diameter. The inside diameter of the internal gearing of each type wheel, i.e., the distance between the tops of diametrically opposed teeth, is slightly greater than the diameter of a crescent-shaped pivot block 55 which rotatably supports the type wheels in a stacked relationship. The pivot block 55 is carried by an eccentric flange 56 integrally formed on one end of a sleeve 57 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5), the axis of the pivot block 55 being offset and parallel to the axis of the sleeve 57 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Each of the dater type wheels 37, 38, 39 and 40 is resiliently retained in each angularly adjusted position thereof, the month type wheel 37 and the units day type wheel 39 being so retained by similar spring and ball detents 58, radially disposed in pivot block 55 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The tensday type wheel 38 and the year type wheel 46 are each retained in each angularly rotated position thereof by similar spring and ball detents 59 chordally disposed in the pivot block 55 (FIG. 2). To be effective, the ball of each of the detents 58 and 59 engages between two adjacent teeth of the associated type wheel.

In order to control the adjustment of the dater type wheels 37, 38 and 39 in accordance with the setting of the respective select-or disks 4-8, 49 and 50, a series of three similar six-tooth gears 60, 61 and 62 are provided and are associated with the respective dater type wheels having a stacked relationship within the concave area 63 of the pivot block 55 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Gear 66 is enmeshed with the internal gearing of month type wheel 37, while gear 61 is enmeshed with the tens day type wheel 38 and gear 62 is enmeshed with the units day type wheel 39. Similarly, there are three identical sixtooth gears 64, 65 and 66 associated with the selector mechanism (FIGS. 3 and 4). The gear 64 is enmeshed with the internal gearing of the month select-or disk 41, gear 65 with the internal gearing of tens day selector disk 42 and gear 66 with internal bearing of the units day selector disk 43. Gear 64, associated with the month selector disk 41, is secured on the half-round end portion of one end of shaft 70 (FIGS. 3 and 4), which, at its other end, carries gear 60 secured on the half-round portion thereof. Shaft 70 extends through, and is rotatably supported in, a quill shaft 71 which, at its one end, Carries gear 65 integrally formed thereon and cooperating With tens day selector disk 42 and, at its other end, carries gear 61 secured thereon and enmeshed with the teeth of the internal gear of tens day type wheel 38. Thus, each increment of angular rotation of the tens day selector disk 42 imparts a like rotation to the tens day type wheel 33. The quill shaft 71, in turn, is rotatably supported within a quill shaft 72 which carries six-tooth gear 66 at its one end integral therewith and enmeshed with units day selector disk 43. At its other end, quill shaft 72 carries six-tooth gear 62 secured thereon and enmeshed with units day type wheel 39. Thus, upon rotation of the selector disk 43, a like rotation is imparted to the corresponding type wheel 39. Quill shaft 72,, serving as a journal for quill shaft 71, is supported for rotation within the bore of the sleeve 57 and its one end extends through a suitable aperture in the auxiliary disk supporting plate 46 with the inner surface of gear 66, carried thereby, in contiguity with the outer surface of the plate. Sleeve 57 is, in turn, supported for turning movement in legs 27 and 28 of the U-shaped bracket 26. Shaft 70, quill shafts 71 and 72, and the respective gears carried thereby, are retained in the relative position shown in FIG. 3 by means of circular end plates 73 and 74. Circular end plate 73 is retained in position on pivot block 45 by any suitable means, such as clip 75, the plate being provided with an indexing mark in the form of an arrow, as indicated at 76. Circular end plate 74 is likewise retained in position on pivot block 55 by any suitable means, such as clip 77.

As explained above, postal regulations are such that certain classes of mail matter carry the date printed within the town circle, while other classes do not require the date. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the dater type wheels are shown in print position, whereby the date MAY 11, 65 would be printed within the town circle 17, upon cyclic rotation of the print-head 10. Upon rocking movement of the pivot block 55 about the axis of shaft 70, the dater type wheels 37, 38, 3? and 40 will be moved to the position indicated by phantom line in FIG. 2, wherein the selected date of MAY 11, '65 will be moved out of the printing plane relative to the town circle die 17. In order to effect the rocking motion of the pivot block 55, the flattened end portion of the sleeve 57 (FIG. 5) extends above the leg 27 of the U-shaped bracket 26 (FIG, 3) to receive one end of a crank arm 80. At its free end, the crank arm carries a roller knob 81 secured thereon and projecting upwardly through an armate slot 82 in the auxiliary selector supporting plate 46 to selectively control the rocking movement of the date-r type wheels 20 between the date and no-date position. A suitable clip 83 is engaged in a pair of slots 84 (FIG. 5) in the upper end of the sleeve 57 and serves to maintain crank arm 80 contiguous with the surface of leg 27 of bracket 26 and to also maintain the inner surface of the flange 56, integrally formed on the lower end of the sleeve 57, in contiguity with the surface of the leg 28 of the bracket 26.

The dater type wheels 20 are resiliently retained in either the date or no-date position, i.e., the print or nonprint position, by means of a spring and ball detent 85 (FIGS. 3 and 5 disposed within a cavity 86 axially parallel to sleeve 57. Upon adjustment of roller knob 81 to either the date or no-date position, the ball of the spring and ball detent 85 comes to rest in either depression 87 or 88 in the lower surface of the leg 28 o bracket 26.

What is claimed is:

1. In a postage meter,

a frame,

a print-head rotatably mounted on said frame,

a town circle printing die mounted on said print-head,

a rockable member carried by said print-head adjustable to either of two positions,

a series of type wheels selectively settable to represent a date, said type wheels being rotatably mounted on said rockable member for movement to either a print or nonprint position relative to said town circle die upon adjustment of said rockable member,

a date selection means carried by said print-head manually operable to control the setting of said type wheels in either position of said rockable means, and

a manual control means mounted on said print-head for controlling the adjustment of said rockable member.

2. In a postage meter,

a frame,

a printing member having a printing surface and mounted on said frame for cyclic rotation through a printing position,

a cam member mounted on said printing member rockable between an operative and an inoperative position,

a plurality of printing elements mounted on said cam member for rocking movement therewith to either a print or nonprint position relative to the printing surface of said printing member, each of said printing elements being selectively adjustable to represent given data,

a selection means carried by said printing member operable to control the adjustment of said printing elements in either the print or nonprint position, and

a manually operable means positioned on said printing member operable to control the rocking movement of said cam member.

3. In a postage meter,

a frame,

a printing member mounted on said frame for cyclic rotation from a full-cycle position through a printing position,

a town circle die on said printing member eifective to cause an impression to be made upon rotation of said printing member,

a plurality of coaxial dater type wheels selectively settable to represent a date, 1

a positionable means supporting said dater type wheels and rockably mounted diametrically of said printing member to move said type wheels to and from a printing position relative to said town circle die,

a series of adjustable selection members, one for each of said dater type wheels arranged on said printing member in diametrically opposed relationship to said type wheels,

a plurality of coaxial shafts coaxially mounted with said positionable means and connecting each of said selection members with the corresponding dater type wheel to control the setting of the type wheels in accordance with the adjustment of said selection members, and

a manually operable means for rocking said positionoble means to a print or nonprint position.

4. In a postage meter,

a frame,

a print-head mounted on said frame for cyclic rotation from a full-cycle position through a printing position,

indicia die plates on said print-head including a town circle die effective to cause an impression to be made upon rotation of said print-head through the printing position,

an eccentric means including a tubular shaft diametrically supported in said print-head and rockable to either of two positions,

a plurality of dater type wheels selectively settable to represent a date and coaxially mounted on said eccentric means for movement to either a print or nonprint position relative to said town circle die upon rocking movement of said eccentric means,

a series of adjustable selection members for said dater type wheels arranged on said print-head in diametrically opposed relationship to said type wheels,

a plurality of coaxial shafts supported in concentricity with said tubular shaft and effective to connect each of said selection members with the corresponding dater type wheels to control the setting of the type wheels in accordance with the adjustment of said selection members in either rocked position of said eccentric means, and

a manually operable member connected to said tubular shaft effective to control the rocking of said eccentric means and the movement of said dater type wheels to a print or nonprint position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,179,269 11/1939 Ogden 101110 2,204,971 6/1940 Rowan et a1. 10111O 2,687,692 8/1954 Kubovy et al 101--91 X 2,708,402 5/1955 Knauer 101110 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

W. F. MCCARTHY, Assistamt Examiner. 

1. IN A POSTAGE METER, A FRAME, A PRINT-HEAD ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, A TOWN CIRCLE PRINTING DIE MOUNTED ON SAID PRINT-HEAD, A ROCKABLE MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID PRINT-HEAD ADJUSTABLE TO EITHER OF TWO POSITIONS, A SERIES OF TYPE WHEELS SELECTIVELY SETTABLE TO REPRESENT A DATE, SAID TYPE WHEELS BEING ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ROCKABLE MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT TO EITHER A PRINT OR NONPRINT POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID TOWN CIRCLE DIE UPON ADJUSTMENT OF SAID ROCKABLE MEMBER, A DATE SELECTION MEANS CARRIED BY SAID PRINT-HEAD MANUALLY OPERABLE TO CONTROL THE SETTING OF SAID TYPE WHEELS IN EITHER POSITION OF SAID ROCKABLE MEANS, AND A MANUAL CONTROL MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID PRINT-HEAD FOR CONTROLLING THE ADJUSTMENT OF SAID ROCKABLE MEMBER. 